The early morning air is crisp, carrying the scent of earth and dew. Within the secluded gardens of Castle Dracul, Princess Katchia kneels among a bed of violet and silver-petaled flowers, her hands delicately tending to their stems. The sun has barely begun its ascent, casting golden rays through the thick foliage. She hums softly to herself as she carefully plucks a few blossoms and arranges them into a small bundle.
A sudden shift in the air prickles at the nape of her neck. A presence. Watching. Nearby.
Katchia stills, her sharp eyes flicking over her shoulder. Nothing. Only the swaying of the garden's branches in the morning breeze. She exhales, turning back—
Stella stands at her left.
Katchia doesn't flinch, nor does she betray her surprise. Instead, she lifts an eyebrow as Stella grins at her, hands casually tucked behind her back.
Stella: Apologies, love. Did I scare you?
Katchia scoffs, returning her attention to her flowers.
Katchia: Flattering yourself, are you?
Stella chuckles and lowers herself onto the grass beside her, watching as Katchia resumes arranging the blossoms. A thoughtful silence lingers before Stella tilts her head with a knowing smirk.
Stella: Are those for your wife?
Katchia hums as she continues placing flowers into the bundle.
Katchia: They are offerings for the God of Light.
Stella purses her lips, unimpressed with the response. She leans a little closer.
Stella: So you do still have a wife, then?
Katchia's golden eyes flick up to meet Stella's, mischief glinting in their depths.
Katchia: Mmm... she doesn't seem all that interested in flowers.
Stella feigns shock, pressing a hand to her chest.
Stella: Truly? That is surprising, considering she has a keen appreciation for beauty.
Katchia's lips curl into a smile. The moment lingers, soft and warm, as Stella reaches out, brushing her fingers along Katchia's cheek before leaning in to press a kiss to her lips.
Their peace, however, is short-lived.
Dimetru (off-screen): Forgive me for interrupting, but we have a situation.
Both women break apart as Dimetru steps into the garden, his usual calm demeanor tinged with unease. Stella straightens, already sensing the weight behind his words.
Stella: What is it?
Dimetru: We found this in the forest. It belongs to a soldier from Vacuo.
The warmth of the morning vanishes, replaced by the cold grip of uncertainty. Katchia's expression hardens as she exchanges a glance with her wife. Silence stretches between them, the weight of the discovery settling in.
The past may have been buried, but the outside world had found a way to creep in.
Stella (low, dangerous): Vacuo...
The morning sun continues to rise, but for the two women of Drakvania, a shadow has already fallen over their peaceful kingdom.
The dense canopy of Drakvania's forests casts long shadows over the winding river, its water rushing steadily downstream. Stella moves through the underbrush with quiet purpose, following Dimetru's lead as they approach the riverbank. Waiting for them are Cazan and Mathew, standing tensely beside a rugged-looking Faunus with weathered features and piercing eyes. Their attention is fixed on something wedged between the rocks in the water.
The rugged Faunus acknowledges Stella with a short nod before gesturing toward the riverbed.
Rugged Faunus: "I left it where I found it."
Stella steps closer, her gaze settling on the unmistakable shape of a soldier's helmet, partially submerged in the river's current. Water glistens off its metal surface, but even from here, she can make out the emblem upon it.
Dimetru folds his arms and turns to Stella.
Dimetru: What do you think?
Stella's amber eyes narrow as she considers the situation. Then, she nods toward the helmet.
Stella: Bring it to me.
Without hesitation, Dimetru moves down to the river's edge, gripping the metal tightly and pulling it free from the rocks. Water streams off the helmet as he hands it to Stella. She takes it carefully, turning it over in her hands.
Her expression darkens as she examines the insignia on its surface—a black circle with three swords arranged in a V, the central sword the longest. The symbol of the Kingdom of Vacuo.
A grim silence hangs over the group as Stella continues her inspection, but then, she notices something else. A second mark—subtler, but no less significant.
Her grip tightens, her jaw clenching.
Stella: Vacuo, without a doubt... but this also belongs to a not-so-friendly family.
Mathew's wolf ears twitched at Stella's tone.
Mathew: What's so bad about this family?
Stella exhales sharply, her gaze meeting each of theirs in turn.
Stella: The Sultan of Vacuo deals in Faunus slavery.
A ripple of unease spreads through the group. Cazan's feline ears twitch uncomfortably, Mathew's tail droops further, and even Dimetru—stoic as he is—sets his jaw in barely restrained anger.
Stella runs a gloved thumb over the metal, her thoughts racing. A scout's helmet. A Vacuan family known for enslaving Faunus. Her mind connects the pieces, and her eyes drift toward the river's flow.
She mutters under her breath:
Stella: Wherever they scout... they conquer.
Then, she straightens, her voice firm with realization.
Stella: The current carried this here. That means it came from downstream.
Cazan follows her gaze toward the distant peaks visible through the trees—the jagged silhouette of Broken Tooth Mountain.
Stella: It came from up there. Broken Tooth Mountain.
Dimetru steps forward, his hands tightening into fists.
Dimetru: Then we should go there and deal with the tresspassers.
Stella shakes her head, already making decisions.
Stella: No. You need to return to the castle.
Dimetru frowns, displeased.
Dimetru: I won't leave you alone out here.
Stella: You're not. I'll take Nicolie and Andrei with me to Broken Tooth. You need to get back and alert the guards. Double the sentries. If Vacuo is here, we need to be ready for whatever they have planned.
Dimetru hesitates, but Stella's expression is unwavering. Finally, with a reluctant nod, he steps back.
As he turns the helmet over one last time, something catches his eye—deep, jagged claw marks embedded into the metal. His brows furrow as he runs his fingers over them, his mind turning over the implications.
Meanwhile, Stella exhales slowly, her fingers brushing against the hilt of her blade as she looks toward the distant mountain.
Stella (to herself): Let's see if I can do what I do best... negotiate.
She starts forward, determination in her step, while Dimetru grips the helmet tighter, a dark unease settling in his gut.
The ascent had been grueling, the jagged terrain of Broken Tooth Mountain testing their endurance with each step. As Stella, Nicolie, and Andrei near the summit, an eerie structure looms before them—an ancient temple carved into the mountainside, its darkened entrance like the gaping maw of some long-forgotten beast.
Nicolie and Andrei exchange uneasy glances, their instincts screaming at them to turn back, but Stella steps forward with an unnatural calm, her golden eyes scanning the structure with quiet curiosity.
A sudden gust of wind sweeps out from the temple's entrance, carrying with it the scent of damp stone and decay. Nicolie wrinkles his nose, breaking the silence with a smirk.
Nicolie: Ugh. Smells like your feet, Andrei.
Andrei glares at him for a moment before chuckling.
Andrei: At least mine don't smell like a rotting corpse.
Before they can continue their banter, a flurry of black feathers erupts from the temple's depths. A swarm of tiny Nevermore Grimm screech as they burst forth, their wings cutting through the air as they scatter into the sky. Nicolie and Andrei yelp, instinctively ducking as the creatures pass over them.
Stella, however, remains still, eyes locked on the entrance.
Stella: They're inside.
Andrei: How do you know that?
Stella: Grimm don't leave their nests in the daylight unless something disturbs them.
Her words settle heavily between them. Nicolie and Andrei exchange nervous looks, but they know there's no turning back now. With careful steps, they move into the temple, the darkness swallowing them whole. Andrei lights a torch, its flickering glow barely illuminating the stone walls.
*The silence inside is oppressive. Each footstep echoes ominously, and the air grows colder the deeper they go. As they press on, a sharp sound breaks the quiet—crunch.
Stella suddenly halts, glancing down at the ground beneath her boot. Nicolie notices her hesitation and frowns.
Nicolie: What's wrong?
Stella crouches, running her fingers across the surface. A grim realization settles in her chest.
Stella: The floor... It's crushed bone.
Andrei swallows hard, gripping his weapon tighter.
Andrei: The Vacuans did this?
Stella slowly shakes her head.
Stella: No... Something else did.
A shiver crawls up Andrei's spine as he instinctively raises the torch, trying to push back the darkness ahead. But then—
Two black eyes with crimson pupils stare back at him from the abyss.
Andrei: What the hell is—
A monstrous force slams into him, yanking him violently into the shadows. His scream is cut short, replaced by the sickening sound of tearing flesh.
Stella: Andrei!
Nicolie barely has time to react before another shape moves in the darkness, too fast to track. A clawed limb lashes out, striking Nicolie and sending him crashing against the stone wall. His breath is ripped from his lungs as he crumples to the ground.
Stella: Run!
Nicolie stumbles to his feet, disoriented, but he doesn't get far. The entity lunges again, and this time, Nicolie is dragged into the blackness with a strangled cry.
Stella turns toward the entrance, her heart pounding. A shadow moves toward her, creeping just beyond the flickering torchlight. She draws her blade in a flash, slashing at the darkness. A spray of black blood erupts, sizzling as it hits the ground. The entity recoils, a guttural hiss escaping its throat.
Before it can strike again, an unseen force suddenly stops it. The creature lingers at the threshold of the temple, just shy of the entrance. Stella watches, her breath heavy, as the thing stares at her—its black eyes with eerie red pupils locked onto hers. Then, with unnatural speed, it scurries back into the shadows, disappearing entirely.
Stella grips her sword tightly, her knuckles white as she watches the blood on her blade evaporate, dissolving like Grimm essence.
Her stomach churns.
Whatever that thing was... it wasn't human. And it wasn't just Grimm, either.
The rhythmic pounding of hooves against the dirt echoed through the silent forest as Stella urged her horse forward, her cloak billowing behind her. The chilling encounter in the temple still clung to her mind like a shadow, but there was no time for hesitation. She had to know what she had seen—what had killed Nicolie and Andrei. And for that, she needed answers.
As she reached the towering gates of Castle Dracul, she barely had time to dismount before a hooded figure stepped forward from the entrance, as if he had been expecting her.
Brother Lucian: Madam Stella, I've been expecting you, my princess.
Stella, still breathless from the ride, narrowed her eyes.
Stella: I saw something. Something that shouldn't exist.
Lucian's expression darkened, and without another word, he motioned for her to follow. Through the stone halls of the castle, the scent of aged parchment and burning candle wax filled the air as they entered the library. The room was vast, its towering bookshelves filled with centuries of Drakvanian history and knowledge.
Lucian led her to a lone table, where an ancient tome, its leather cover cracked with age, rested beneath the flickering candlelight. He carefully opened it, his fingers gliding over the weathered pages until he stopped at a passage marked with an eerie, swirling sigil.
Lucian: For weeks now, every brother in our order has had the same dream. A dream of shadows creeping over Drakvania. I dismissed it as mere superstition, until I, too, saw it.
Stella clenched her fists, her heartbeat quickening.
Stella: What kind of dream?
Lucian exhaled deeply, his gaze sharp as he met hers.
Lucian: A great evil, long sealed away, waking once more. A darkness that will lay siege to Drakvania.
He turned the page, revealing an old illustration—a depiction of a monstrous woman with hollow eyes and a sinister grin, draped in flowing black robes. Beneath the image, in ancient script, a name was written.
Lucian: Salem, The Grimm Queen.
The name sent a chill down Stella's spine.
Stella: What is she?
Lucian: A Witch.
He flipped through more pages, tracing his fingers over the faded ink.
Lucian: According to this text, Salem was sealed within the temple at Broken Tooth nearly a century ago by a great wizard. He used magic beyond mortal understanding to bind her, ensuring she could never escape.
Stella furrowed her brows, recalling how the creature had stopped at the temple's entrance, as if bound by unseen chains.
Stella: Why can't she leave?
Lucian: The magic that holds her is absolute... unless someone releases her.
Stella's jaw tightened.
Stella: Then all we have to do is make sure that doesn't happen.
Lucian: It's not that simple.
He turned another page, revealing an ominous passage written in old Drakvanian script. His voice was heavy with warning as he translated.
Lucian: To set Salem free, one must become like her—forsake their humanity and embrace the darkness.
A silence fell between them. Stella could feel the weight of the revelation pressing down on her. The entity inside that temple wasn't just another Grimm. It was something far worse.
She took a deep breath, steadying herself before looking back at Lucian.
Stella: You can't tell anyone about this.
Lucian blinked in surprise.
Lucian: But, my princess—
Stella: Drakvania is already on the brink of war. The people are terrified of what the Vacuans might bring. If they knew something even worse was lurking in the mountains, it would shatter them.
*Lucian hesitated but then slowly nodded, closing the tome with a soft thud.
Lucian: Very well... But know this, Stella. If Salem's prison is ever undone, there may be no force in Remnant that can stop her.
Stella stared at the ancient book one last time, her mind already racing with thoughts of what had to be done.
She wouldn't let Drakvania fall.
No matter the cost.
Laughter filled the dimly lit chamber as the soft clanging of wooden swords echoed off the stone walls. Katchia and Ingeris circled one another, their makeshift weapons raised in a playful duel. The young Faunus prince swung with all his might, only for Katchia to sidestep with effortless grace, tapping him gently on the shoulder with her sword.
Katchia: You leave yourself open, my little knight!
Ingeris: I'm getting better!
Katchia chuckled, feigning a look of deep thought.
Katchia: Hmm... perhaps a little. But you're not quite ready to take on your mama.
From behind the slightly ajar door, Stella hesitated. She had stood there for a moment, composing herself, as if the warmth of this scene was something she feared shattering. Taking a steady breath, she finally stepped into view.
The moment Ingeris spotted her, his face lit up.
Ingeris: Mama!
He dropped his wooden sword and rushed toward her, wrapping his small arms around her waist. Stella, caught off guard by the force of his embrace, let out a soft chuckle before kneeling to properly hold him.
Stella: I missed you too, little knight.
Katchia, watching the reunion with a gentle smile, set her sword aside and strode over.
Katchia: You were gone longer than expected.
Before Stella could respond, Katchia joined the embrace, holding both her wife and son close. For a moment, the world outside these stone walls faded away.
When they finally pulled apart, Katchia placed a hand on her hip, tilting her head slightly.
Katchia: I get an embrace, but no kiss? My, how cruel you've become.
Stella raised a brow, smirking.
Stella: Are we really going to argue about this?
Katchia: You always leave me without my fill.
With that, Stella leaned in, capturing Katchia's lips in a slow, passionate kiss. The warmth, the familiarity, the silent understanding between them—it was everything Stella needed after the horrors she had seen. When they separated, Katchia studied her face more closely, her playful expression shifting to something more serious.
Katchia: What troubles you?
For a brief moment, Stella considered telling her. The temple. The witch. The growing darkness that threatened their home. But instead, she met Katchia's gaze and spoke with a small, teasing smile.
Stella: The impossible depths of your beauty. It puts the rest of the world to shame.
Katchia laughed, shaking her head as she ruffled Ingeris's hair.
Katchia: Don't listen to her, little one. Your mother tends to use flattery as a cheap distraction from the truth.
Stella shrugged, grinning.
Stella: You know all of my tricks.
Katchia tapped Stella's nose with her finger.
Katchia: That, my love, is because you're a terrible liar. It's one of your most endearing qualities.
As Katchia turned to kiss Ingeris goodnight, Stella let herself collapse onto the bed beside him. The little boy giggled, shifting closer to her.
Ingeris: Mama, can we go riding tomorrow?
Stella: Of course, my little knight.
Katchia's voice cut in smoothly.
Katchia: No, you cannot.
Stella raised her head, blinking in confusion.
Stella: Why not?
Katchia: Because tomorrow is the celebration of the God of Light.
Stella exhaled in mock defeat before leaning down to kiss Ingeris's forehead.
Stella: Oh, of course. What was I thinking?
She stood, letting Katchia kiss their son goodnight before taking her wife's hand. Together, they made their way to their own chambers, leaving behind the warmth of the moment to prepare for what tomorrow might bring.
The dim glow of candlelight flickered against the stone walls, casting long shadows that danced with the gentle breeze slipping through the open window. Inside, Katchia sat before her vanity, her fingers slowly undoing the intricate knots in her raven-black hair. Behind her, the quiet rustle of fabric filled the room as Stella pulled her shirt over her head, revealing the scars that painted her back like battle-worn etchings on a blade.
Katchia tried to look away, but the mirror betrayed her, offering an unobstructed view of the past carved into her wife's skin. Each scar told a story—some Stella had shared, others left unspoken. She remembered the night Stella had told her the truth of her past, of the people in her village who had tried to kill her, only for her to cut them down first. That night, Katchia had traced those very scars with her fingers, wondering how a heart so kind could carry so much pain.
Stella exhaled as she sank into the warm water of the tub, closing her eyes for a moment before letting her head rest against the edge. Katchia continued watching, combing her fingers through her now-loosened hair before finally breaking the silence.
Katchia: Something happened today, didn't it?
Stella opened her eyes but didn't immediately answer. She reached for a cloth, only for Katchia to take it from her. Sitting on the tub's edge, Katchia dipped the cloth into the water before gently running it along Stella's arm.
Stella: I lost two good men today.
Katchia's hand stilled for a moment before continuing its slow, deliberate movements.
Stella: And the Vacuan soldiers... their presence here is troubling. If they've come this far, then they are searching for something—or someone.
Katchia wrung out the cloth before soaking it again, her voice softer this time.
Katchia: What else?
Stella hesitated. Her gaze flickered downward, her fingers gripping the edge of the tub just slightly. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter than before.
Stella: For the first time in ten years... since we married... I'm afraid of what is to come.
Katchia set the cloth aside and reached for Stella's hands, entwining their fingers beneath the water. She leaned in closer, her forehead resting gently against Stella's.
Katchia: You are home. You are safe. And you are loved.
Stella let out a slow breath, as if trying to absorb those words into her very soul. She lifted her head slightly, her lips brushing against Katchia's before capturing them in a tender kiss. The warmth of the water, the touch of her wife—just for this moment, it was enough to push away the weight of the world.
Then, a mischievous glint flickered in Stella's eyes.
Katchia: Stella—
Before she could protest, Stella pulled Katchia forward, sending her tumbling into the tub with a surprised gasp. Water sloshed over the sides as she surfaced, her hair plastered to her face. Stella let out a rare, genuine laugh—one that Katchia hadn't heard in too long.
Katchia wiped the water from her eyes before narrowing them playfully.
Katchia: You are insufferable.
Stella: And yet, you love me.
Katchia sighed dramatically, though the corners of her lips twitched upward.
Katchia: That, my dear wife, is the greatest mystery of all.
As Stella leaned in to kiss her once more, the troubles of the outside world faded, if only for tonight.